Local Southside employees hailed as Unsung Heroes

A NUMBER of Southside workers have been declared

‘Unsung Heroes’ as part of an initiative that awards those employees who go the extra mile.

Cristiane Nunes who is from Brazil, but is now living in Rathmines, was among 100 workers honoured for their dedication in the 2015 GEM (Going the Extra Mile) Awards that were presented by ISS, a major provider of outsourced business services.

GEM Awards recognise the valuable contribution of employees involved in business supports such as cleaning, catering, security, pest control and property services.

The fact that many of these roles are carried out outside of office hours, or not based in the main working area, can mean that the employee gets over-looked, so the awards aim to recognise outstanding effort and commitment by people within the business.

Cristiane has been working for ISS for the past two years. She is married and her husband Mario also works for ISS.

Cristiane is described as hard working, soft spoken, trust worthy and adaptable. Described as very obliging, Cristiane is also a great team player.

One of the winning Irish Ladies Rugby Team members and Women’s and Girls Rugby Development Executive, Nora Stapleton, introduced this year’s GEM Awards presentation for ISS.

She said the people who work in maintaining premises and providing essential support services are generally the unsung heroes of the workplace, whose efficiency can sometimes go unnoticed, but without whom the business could not function.

“Jobs like cleaning, catering and security and maintenance are essential in the modern world, and it is exceptional to see a company like ISS pay tribute to these valuable employees in this way

?, Nora said at the gala awards presentation.

The award winners work in many of the country’s leading businesses and healthcare and education facilities including Abbott Vascular, Amgen, Bon Secours, UHG, Irish Rail, UCD and UCC, HP, CITI group, Premier Inn Hotels and in Leinster House.

Award nominations are made by the client businesses in conjunction with work supervisors, and this year over 100 ISS workers were honoured out of over 3,500 people who work for the outsourcing company.

Another Brazilian native who is now living in Sandyford, Cheila Fernandes, was also among the winners.

Cheila works in the UCD residence for ISS. According to her bosses, she is an extremely hardworking and conscientious worker and is happy to take on additional work if required.

She is a very good team player and also works very well on her own initiative. She is very cooperative, pleasant and friendly person to deal with.

Cheila took up a more senior role without notice and executed the project of a deep clean with dedicated and huge attention to detail.

Ciprian Fodor, who is originally from Romania and is now living in Lucan, impressed both his bosses and management with his positive attitude and strong work ethic.

Ciprian is a cleaning operative at Ipsen Pharma in Blanchardstown, where he has been working for just over a year.

He is not afraid to use his initiative and clean areas that need attention but are not part of his brief. In fact he often works so hard that he has to be told by management to slow down!

Another Romanian native, Corina Costache, who is now living in Inchicore, has worked for ISS for the past two and a half years on a number of ISS sites, including McManus Corrigan, Paddy Power, Citco Bank and SIPTU Liberty Hall.

She impressed the awards panel as a very reliable and hardworking individual.

Presenting the awards at the gala event in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel, ISS managing director Eric Doyle said Irish businesses and organisations rely on efficient delivery of non-core services to compete effectively in their sector.

ISS Ireland Ltd, based on the Citywest Business Campus, is part of a massive global business which operates in over 53 countries worldwide with an annual turnover of

?¬75 million in Ireland. The Irish ISS operation employs 3,500 people in this country, providing a broad suite of onsite services to public and private sector organisations countrywide.